If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

New Guy with a suspension question- Big guys chime in !

Hey fellas,

I have a double layer 1.8 Thunderbird coming from Dream Hammock and it's using the 7/64 full whoopee hook suspension from Dutch. You know they say idle hands are the devils workshop . . .well, while waiting for my stuff to arrive, I've been doing some reading and I want to make sure I'm ok on this . . .

I'm 5'10" and weigh my weight bounces between 265-285- not a small guy. I understand that the 11 ft thunderbird hammock, suspension etc. is not the lightest solution for backpacking, but that's my intended purpose, so overall gear weight is a consideration.

I understand that some guys are super cautious and want like a 10:1 safety zone on loadbearing cordage, some say 5:1 etc. I've read whitepapers and seen plenty of threads on here.

What's the real world answer? Will the 7/64 amsteel suspension system be plenty for me or should I consider 1/8.

I've seen people suggesting (based on my max weight of 285) 1/8 amsteel and then there are threads with 400lbs or more using 7/64 for years with no problem.

7/64 is plenty. I am about the same weight... consistently 270ish and I've never had a single issue. I also have camped with my son in the hammock with me as well which puts us over 300. should be no prob....you'll learn to trust it more

7/64 is plenty. I am about the same weight... consistently 270ish and I've never had a single issue. I also have camped with my son in the hammock with me as well which puts us over 300. should be no prob....you'll learn to trust it more

I was hoping to see responses like that. I'm careful and I'll always try to get it pitched "by the book." Just getting into this game has a fairly steep learning curve and I want to set myself up for success rather than frustration.

I'm currenty 270lbs but have been as heavy as 310lbs and I use 7/64. I've had my wife and I in an ENO doublenest on 7/64 whoopies and that was well over 400lbs. I wouldn't worry about it but if you want piece of mind, no real downside to going with 1/8". The difference in weight and bulk is almost negligible IMO if you are not a gram counter but there is a price difference IIRC.

Having made thousands of hammock suspensions for folks ranging anywhere from 10 pound babies all the way up to 450 pound guys, having had my entire family...myself, wife, 3 kids and our small dog all pile into a hammock....pushing 550 pounds, having done in house testing with over 600 pounds of weight in a hammock for 24 continual hours with the hammock rocking and rolling on the stand with 20-30 mph winds pushing it, having spoken with another cottage shop that had a destructive testing lab break suspensions of all sorts......well I am going to tell you that first off at under 400 pounds your not a "big" guy by the measure of the larger guys on the forum. You won't even be starting to strain the 7/64" Rest easy, your not the first person to ask or worry about it but you won't have any trouble with it.

You guys are awesome!

Resting so easy after all those replies! Thanks for putting my mind at ease! But to complicate things . . . I have an 85 lb Golden Doodle named Buddy who likes to try and sleep snuggled up to me and a wife from Colombia who is a little thick and a lot curvy. . . . oh well . . .I'll just make sure they're not both in there with me at the same time